Day trip

From Mérida: Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour

4.2  / 554 reviews
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Day trip
From Mérida: Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve Tour
4.2  / 554 reviews

Visit Ria Celestún Biosphere Reserve on a tour from Mérida and see the resident pink flamingos. Go swimming, look for native and migratory birds, and ride a boat through a mangrove forest.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Duration 7 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
Spanish, English
Pickup included
Pick-up from your hotel in Mérida.

Experience

Itinerary

  • getyourguide-logo-icon.svg

    Pickup location:

    Mérida

  • Bus/coach

    (105 minutes)

  • main-stop-icon.svg

    Celestún

    Free time, Boat cruise, Sightseeing (3.5 hours)

  • Bus/coach

    (1.5 hours)

  • Arrive back at:

    Mérida

Main stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Wander into a natural paradise with biosphere colonies of pink flamingos
  • Explore the Ria Celestún Biosphere Reserve on the Yucatán Peninsula
  • Admire a scenic landscape surrounded by mangroves on a boat ride
  • Go swimming at the freshwater springs of Celestún Beach
  • Discover coastal and marshland birds such as herons and gulls

Full description

Start the tour with a pickup from your hotel in Mérida and travel to the amazing Ria Celestún Biosphere Reserve to discover a jewel of the Yucatán Peninsula declared a wildlife refuge forty-four years ago. Celestún, a natural paradise in the Gulf of Mexico, is a biosphere reserve located in a coastal corridor of wetlands with mangroves, dunes, pentanes, lowland jungle, and grasslands that protect the natural evolutionary processes that are the heartbeat of the Gulf of Mexico. Explore the biosphere on a boat ride through the beautiful estuary for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Visit the feeding area of several birds such as flamingos. Explore the primary site for pink flamingos wintering in the northern hemisphere and get up close to the magnificent birds in their natural habitat. Look for some of the other 300 species of native and migratory birds, along with reptiles, mammals, and different plants. Enter the mangrove trails to discover the special balance of this ecosystem. Afterward, have lunch at a local restaurant (cost not included) with free time to enjoy the beach before returning to Merida.

Includes

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Celestún Biosphere Reserve entry tickets
  • Bilingual tour guide
  • Boat trip (1 hour and 15 minutes)
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips
  • Additional expenses

Not suitable for

  • Pregnant women
  • People with back problems

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Swimwear
  • Towel
  • Water
  • Biodegradable sunscreen
  • Comfortable clothes
  • Insect repellent
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.2 /5

based on 54 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.6/5
  • Transportation
    4.5/5
  • Service
    4.6/5
  • Organization
    4.8/5

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J
James S – United StatesApril 13, 2024  – Verified booking
Our guide was excellent. There were two non English speakers and two English speakers. The tour was supposed to be in English but our Spanish is ok so we didn’t mind. It turned into an excellent Spanish lesson all day. The guide handled that very well. She was knowledgeable and personable. Took us to a great place to eat, drink, and enjoy the beach which was away from the crowds and very nice. The biosphere trip was awesome. Thousands and thousands of flamingos and we were right next to them as the waded and fed in the estuary. So fun watching them take off and land and we learned a great deal about their lifecycles etc. Also included was a loop through a mangrove forest with wildlife and even crocodiles (we were never in danger). It was a little pricey for Mexico but it was well worth it. I would definitely recommend the company which was Amigo tours.
Helpful?
C
Carol – United StatesJanuary 29, 2024  – Verified booking
The tour itself was really satisfying. My visitor said it was her favorite day in/near Merida. We saw plenty of flamingos and other water birds—and even a gator. The guide, Gerardo, was excellent! He’s very knowledgeable but also a super nice, friendly person. My only small gripe would be that the van wasn’t terribly comfortable. It was cramped, and it bounced us around quite a bit. But overall, I was happy and would take this trip again.
Helpful?
G
GetYourGuide traveler – GermanyNovember 7, 2023  – Verified booking
Well organized, tour guide explained everything clearly, overall a pretty chill day in the biosphere. But, very expensive considering the activities included (transport 80mins each way, boat ride, some chill time at the beach). May be worth asking the price of local tour organizers in Merida before booking this one… Also side note, we didn’t see many flamingoes during our tour early Nov 2023 due to high tide, apparently from strong rain in the weeks prior to our visit… so seeing hordes of flamingoes is unfortunate not guaranteed
Helpful?

Product ID: 53397

Activity provider:Amigo Tours LATAM

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